S Korea's A/H1N1 flu death toll rises to 45

SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's health authorities on Wednesday reported three additional deaths related to the A/H1N1 influenza virus, pulling up the nation's death toll to 45.

According to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, a three-year-old baby and two men in their 30s and 50s died after being infected with the virus.

"The baby had no symptoms of pneumonia, but there was a possibility that the virus might have intruded into his brain," Kwon Joon-wook, an official at Korea Center for Disease Control & Prevention, was quoted as saying.

With nearly 10,000 people found to be infected with the virus per day, South Korea on Tuesday decided to raise its alert level against the A/H1N1 influenza from the second-highest to the top level of "red."

As part of the move, the ministry plans to launch the country's first central anti-disaster headquarters later in the day.